Paying for a Recipe

There is a whiskey floating around right now that really bothers me. The George Washington Unaged Rye, at around $70 for a 375ml, is being marketed as a whiskey based on its "special recipe." Their schtict is that the whiskey is a limited batch white rye distilled from George "One Buck" Washington's own recipe and fermentation techniques.

I understand that products want to differentiate themselves, and I get that. But given the cost here, I think the GW Rye is going beyond the point of merely separating itself from other products. I feel like they are trying to dupe new whiskey drinkers into buying their product by attaching an interesting back story coupled with a "special recipe" tag line. Doesn't every whiskey have it's own special recipe, i.e. mashbill? I know it's not GW's recipe, but does that really matter. Does the fact that it was GW's recipe merit the price-jump?

I also understand the principal of caveat emptor. But to me, it still doesn't detract from the fact that they are trying to burn unassuming consumers. To me, the selling of the special recipe AT THIS PRICE is just another predatory practice.

How you you guys/gals feel about selling a "special recipe" at a mark-up?

FYI, I tried this at a tasting and thought it was bad, even for an unaged product.

Re: Paying for a Recipe

I am under the impression that the recreated distillery at Mt. Vernon is mostly a "historic re-enactment" with tours and demonstrations. The 60% rye, 35% corn, 5% barley recipe was originally produced at the urging of a Scotsman on GW's plantation. It became highly profitable. Was not aware that it is now commercially available. Last I heard, it was in limited production and sold only at Mt. Vernon more as a historic curiosity more than a commerical enterprise. Like all "craft" distilleries, the economy of scale is just not there.
Or, by chance, is there a commercially produced product not related to Mt. Vernon that I was not aware of?

If God made anything better than bourbon he must have kept it for Hisself.

Re: Paying for a Recipe

Originally Posted by Dolph Lundgren

There is a whiskey floating around right now that really bothers me. The George Washington Unaged Rye, at around $70 for a 375ml, is being marketed as a whiskey based on its "special recipe." Their schtict is that the whiskey is a limited batch white rye distilled from George "One Buck" Washington's own recipe and fermentation techniques.

I understand that products want to differentiate themselves, and I get that. But given the cost here, I think the GW Rye is going beyond the point of merely separating itself from other products. I feel like they are trying to dupe new whiskey drinkers into buying their product by attaching an interesting back story coupled with a "special recipe" tag line. Doesn't every whiskey have it's own special recipe, i.e. mashbill? I know it's not GW's recipe, but does that really matter. Does the fact that it was GW's recipe merit the price-jump?

I also understand the principal of caveat emptor. But to me, it still doesn't detract from the fact that they are trying to burn unassuming consumers. To me, the selling of the special recipe AT THIS PRICE is just another predatory practice.

How you you guys/gals feel about selling a "special recipe" at a mark-up?

FYI, I tried this at a tasting and thought it was bad, even for an unaged product.

Another status symbol for those who need status symbols on their back credenza. Maybe if more or these come out they'll leave FR alone.